Exceptional Autograph Collections to be offered at Love of the Game

Multi-sport collections include signed equipment, photos, magazines, artwork and more

In a “perfect storm” for autograph collectors, Love of the Game Auctions has announced three extensive autograph collections that will be featured in the company’s August, 2013 auction.

Featuring a wide variety of baseball, football and hockey signatures, the collections have been broken into more than 100 lots, with something for virtually everyone.

The first collection is a large assortment of autographs obtained by a husband and wife team that promoted card and autograph shows in eastern Pennsylania during the 1990s. Heavily weighted toward Philadelphia and Pittsburgh teams, the collection features an impressive array of signatures.

“Virtually every one of these signatures was obtained in person, and many include the original autograph ticket from the day of the signing,” said Auction Director Al Crisafulli. “The collection includes signed baseballs, footballs, and hockey pucks, bats, cards, 8x10s, and magazines. Most of the players featured were active in the 1960s through 1980s.”

Among the notable components of the collection are a complete set of signed hockey pucks from the Stanley Cup Champion Philadelphia Flyers teams from 1971/72 and 1973/74, a large group of signed 8×10 photos from Hall of Fame baseball, football and hockey players, and a run of commemorative beer steins from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The second collection is an extensive run of signed magazines, primarily Sports Illustrated and Street & Smith sports publications from the 1950s through the 1980s. It primarily includes baseball, but also contains a smattering of football, hockey and boxing.

“These magazines were each obtained in person by a dedicated collector from New England,” explained Crisafulli. “He would acquire the publications first, then bring them with him to spring training, where he’d have the player on the cover sign them. He and his best friend have collected these magazines for decades, and he’s decided that it’s time to pare the collection down a bit.”

Included in the offering are two 1970s issues of Sports Illustrated signed by Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, a 1961 issue of Sport signed by Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio, and a number of different magazines signed by Willie Mays, Joe Namath, Hank Aaron, Bobby Orr, and more. There are 91 different publications, broken into 37 different lots, all authenticated by SGC.

The final collection is a continuation of a group of signatures that have been offered by Love of the Game over the course of each of its auctions. Obtained in person or through the mail by a dedicated autograph collector who was also an employee of San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium. When athletes were playing in San Diego, the collector would obtain their signatures in a variety of magazines and other materials. The result has been an outstanding array of one-of-a-kind autographed memorabilia.

“In this auction, we’ve got copies of Donald Honig’s books The National League and The American League, with 88 and 53 signatures, respectively. The collector used them as autograph albums, asking each player to sign on their picture,” expounded Crisafulli. “He did the same thing with a 1987 Baseball Hall of Fame yearbook and a 1893 Cracker Jack Old Timers Classic program, both of which will also be featured in the auction. We’ve been offering signed magazines and publications from this collection all year, and it still amazes us each time the consignor brings us a new group of items. The diligence and care with which the collector acquired these autographs is amazing.”

Love of the Game’s summer auction is slated to run through August, closing on Saturday, August 24. Select material from the auction will be available for preview in the company’s booth (#309) at the National Sports Collectors Convention from July 31-August 4.